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Edmond Sam's Club gets variance recommendation for sign

Sam's Club wants to build a 138,000-square-foot store in Edmond and requested a 500-square-foot sign that is 70 feet from the ground. Planning commissioners approved a smaller sign this week. City council members will make a final decision on variance for the sign Oct. 8.

EDMOND — Representatives of Sam's Club had to back off their request for a 500-square-foot sign that would rise 70 feet above the ground before planning commissioners this week recommended a variance from the sign code.

Wayne Nice, attorney for Sam's, kept chopping away at the size of the sign that will be installed along Interstate 35 before planning commissioners unanimously approved a variance. The variance allows a sign that will be 300 square feet and 60 feet from the ground. The sign will have 150 square feet on each side, the same size sign as across the interstate at Integris Health Edmond and Mercy Health System medical complex, south of 15th Street and I-35.

City council members will make a final decision on the sign variance Oct. 8.

Sam's is proposing to build a 138,000-square-foot membership store and fuel station just north of the Walmart Supercenter at 15th Street and the interstate.

At least two planning commissioners said they would have approved a 360-square-foot sign, 60 feet from the ground.

Chairman Barry Moore said he couldn't understand why a membership club store would need a larger sign than a medical facility that people are trying to find in life-or-death situations.

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